Tricycle

by Elisa Amado, Alfonso Ruano (Illustrator)

Margarita lives in a mansion. When she climbs her favorite tree, she can look down into the beautiful garden below. She can also see the small house next door where her friend Rosario and her family live. One day she sees Rosario and her brother dragging her tricycle into their yard and hiding it under a pile of boxes. Margarita decides to lie and protect her friends, but is she really helping them? This sensitive story illustrated in magic realist style powerfully presents complex issues of friendship, maturity, and social standing.

Genres: Picture Books, International, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Elisa Amado is a native of Guatemala who now lives and works in eastern Canada. In addition to writing stories for the early grades based upon her own multicultural experiences, she has also served as a translator for both Spanish and Zapotec authors who craft tales for young children. In her dual roles as writer and translator, Amado has expanded the number of Central American folk tales available to an English-speaking audience.

Reviews

[Michelle Pegram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tricycle is the story of a young girl, Margarita, who lives next door to a family much poorer than her own. She often climbs a tree in her yard and watches her yard as well as that of her friends, Rosario and Chepe, across the hedge. She has a secret hiding space in the hedges and she and her neighbor, Juanita often share this hiding space. One day she leaves her tricycle in the space in the hedge and looks out later to see Rosario and Chepe taking her trike and hiding it under a box. Her stomach feels funny and she doesn't quite know what to do when her mom asks her where her trike has gone.

The illustrations of this book are beautifully done and would be appealing to children. The story itself may be too confusing for younger children, however, as Margarita begins to behave differently after seeing her trike stolen and there is no clear resolution to the story. This could lead to some interesting conversations with older student, though, related to story structure, inference, and tone/mood.

I gave it three stars because I think that it looks like a book for much younger children than those to whom it would be accessible.

[Amanda Walz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thought provoking book. It begs questions, many questions. In the story a little girl, Margarita climbs a tree and sees things. Some that are comforting and some that make her belly feel not quite right.

I don't want to give any spoilers away so I won't tell anymore specifics. This isn't a picture that I would read to a young child. I do think it would be good for a older child who is ready for more complex thinking. It also could be used as a writing prompt, for a student to write what happens next. It would be great to see what a class would come up with.

[Meltha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will freely admit to being confused by this book. While the illustrations are very clear and I understand the basic plotline, the book's point is somewhat murky. The protagonist, who appears to be a child from a wealthy family, has friends who live in a shack behind the house. Two of them apparently either steal her tricycle or think it is abandoned and take it (I believe it is the former since they also hide it). The protagonist (not sure if this is a boy or a girl) says nothing about it, but during some sort of dinner party, an adult seems to know the trike was stolen and says all the poor people should be shot, which scares the child. After everyone leaves, the child makes up a story to her mother about men with guns stealing her trike, and the mother assures her no one will be shot. Then the child worries about a volcano that's been erupting through the whole book. Obviously the author is making a commentary on economic and social inequalities, but throwing in shooting people so casually seems just bizarre, as does the volcano metaphor. This just doesn't seem like a book that would make sense for a child to read. Even with explanation, what six or seven year old is going to be dealing with the social inequalities of Guatemala? Simultaneously bleak and way above the heads of the intended audience.

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick synopsis: Margarita, who is probably about four or five years old, makes observations after climbing up a tree. Timoteo works in her family’s garden, while the shacks her young neighbors and friends Rosario, Chepe, and Juanita live are on the other side of the hedge in which Margarita has hidden her tricycle. She watches the children remove her trike and hide it under a box in their yard, but when her mother asks where it is, she replies “I don’t know.” At lunch, Margarita overhears a guest at the table say, “They are all thieves. They should be shot,” which upsets Margarita.

I love the themes and images in this book. It merits reading and rereading.

Detailed review/close reading available on my blog
https://emiliehanson.wordpress.com/ta...

[L13_melissa_prokop · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a girl that is middle class, but has neighbors that live in poverty. She watches as two neighborhood children steal her tricycle. She comes to terms with it at the very end when she realizes that if the volcano off in the distance would destroy her neighbors house, but not here due to the build of get house vs their house. She realizes that she is probe lagged and that she can let the fact go that her tricycle was stolen. This book is interesting because it addresses class issues and would recommend this book to any elementary classroom. It is available in Spanish and English.

[Brittany Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre- International
Grade Level- K-2
Awards- None
This is a wonderful story that illustrates how a young girl lies to protect her friends even though she knew the truth of what they did. This book is good to show students that no matter what situation they are in, it is never okay to lie. This international book shows our students that every child around the world also goes through obstacles in their life and have to learn to make the smart decision during situations. As a follow up activity, I would have my students write a short essay talking about a time that they have lied and how they could have handled the situation in a different way.

[Lauren Ritcey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: International
Awards: None
Grade: K-2
Comments: I would use this book with a younger class to discuss the idea of lying and stealing. I would read the book to the class and then the students would be able to tell me what they know about lying and stealing and if it is an okay thing to do. I would give the kids the chance to explain if they have ever lied and if they got in trouble. This would then promote the students to get an understanding of friendship and if it really helping someone if they keep a secret and lie, this book would teach the kids a nice moral.

[K.A. Okagaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be one of my favorite picture books, though perhaps not every parent and child will be able to relate. It has some complex themes and emotions, and introduces the concepts of people who have and those who have not. The story has a literary quality to it, quite beautifully done. Children who are learning to read and have outgrown most picture books might do well with Tricycle.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel there are deeper issues behind the simple words. At first I thought the illustrations are too dark, as if they were photos taken without a flash or something. But then they got brighter, and I wonder if it's intentional, reflecting the emotions of the narrator, sort of like the effect of Sendak's illustration spreads of 'Where the Wild Things Are'.

[Jade Saleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches students to give and not be selfish. It encourages sharing.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple layers of complexity here - a stolen bike? - a poor family living next to a rich family. Margarita observes these things and makes decisions that may surprise you.

[Beth Schencker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching story of a young girl watches as her poor neighbors steal her tricycle, and what she decides to do about it.

[Amy Yount · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapter 7 recommended reading

[Jewell DeLeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

First person point of view of a girl in Guatemala, shows contrast of rich and poor.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

chapters 7&8